Fortitude (Heart of Stone)

by D H Sidebottom

  She blinked at me but her lips twitched as I brought my mouthpiece to my lips and pressed the button on the side of my earpiece. “Target three down. I need an ambulance… fast.”

  Furious assaults of acknowledgements hissed in my ear and I switched it back off as I pulled Ava harder into me. “I love you, Ava.”

  She nodded weakly against me, her sobs quiet now as her vigour depleted. “And me, you.” She whispered before the door flung open and my men stormed the room.

  Sam shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, Ava. When the fuck are you gonna stop causing so much damn trouble?”

  Her lips twisted as she raised her eyes to him. “Ahh you’d get bored without my adventures.”

  He laughed loudly as he crouched before us and patted her cheek. “We would, we so fucking would. Nice to have you back Mrs Fox.” He winked.

  “And it’s nice to be back,” she whispered as she palmed my cheek, her eyes telling me everything I needed from her, her love and remorse open and honest. “But this time,” she scowled at me. “Try to hold on to me a bit longer, eh? It’s not really much fun without you.”

  I stared at her open mouthed. She giggled and fuck me, if that wasn’t the best damn sound in the world. “Yes, of course, baby. I’ll try to do better next time.”

  “Good boy.” I shook my head and lifted her into my arms. “Ahh fuck, watch it, I currently have a damn hole in my shoulder you know.”

  I growled at her as I walked us through the corridors to meet the ambulance. “I can’t believe you did that, Ava. Jesus Christ.”

  “Hey,” she defended. “It was an awesome move.”

  “It was damn stupid!”

  “Nah, if Bruce Willis can do it, then so can I.”

  “What?” I scoffed at her. “You copied a move from a damn film?”

  “Excuse me,” she protested. “It wasn’t just a damn film, it was Die Hard.”

  “Well,” I shrugged. “That’s okay then, that makes all the difference.”

  She grinned and nodded at me. “You can’t beat Bruce Willis.” I narrowed my eyes on her. “Sorry, after Mason Fox, of course.”

  I gave her a stern nod and held her firmer, just inhaling her, just taking her essence and feeding my soul with it. I was never letting her go again, ever. Kicking or screaming, my little warrior would now be attached to my hip, our souls linked mercilessly.

  The doctors weren’t too impressed with that promise when they had me to contend with during the operation to remove the bullet from her shoulder.

  But fuck them.

  I was Mason Fox.

  And life didn’t get any better.

  PART TWO

  Sometimes, the only way to face your past is to accept your future

  Chapter Thirty Three

  Old memories

  Mason

  I smiled at her as I re-puffed her pillow, her beautiful eyes smiling back at me. “Love you,” I whispered happily as I planted a quick kiss on her forehead.

  “I know,” she whispered back as I slipped onto the bed behind her and curled an arm around her waist. “And me, you.”

  “Hey,” I asked suddenly. “Will the consultant come here with your test results tomorrow?”

  She shuffled round to look at me, her brow creased in confusion. “Why would Dr Franks come here?”

  “Well, because you’re bed bound.”

  “I’m not bed bound Mason.”

  I knew she thought I was being a mother hen since she’d come home two hours ago. Her shoulder had healed perfectly, another scar to add to the collection but anyone would think she had just tumbled over the curb the way she was behaving.

  “Yes, Ava, you are. The doc said you needed to take it easy.” I argued as I narrowed my eyes on her.

  “Mason,” she grinned at me, her eyes teasing me brightly. “Since when did I ever listen?”

  “Exactly,” I reprimanded with a tone that told her not to argue. “So this time you’re gonna do as you are told.”

  She nodded firmly and saluted me with two fingers. I smirked and shook my head. “Still, after all these years you can never master the salute.” She quirked a brow at me but I smiled and ran a finger across her jaw. “Do you remember that night?”

  She groaned as the memory of her hangover came crashing back to her.

  Incineration

  I saw her as soon as I entered the club. I also heard the perfection of her laugh. I was just relieved I had found her, after our argument and her state of mind, I’d been frantic.

  She was laid out in the middle of the dance floor, her legs bare from her thighs downwards, her feet kicking drunkenly in time to the beat of the music as her heels slipped from her shoes and they hung on to her toes precariously.

  The anger bubbled in my gut. She was way past the drunken stage, she was slaughtered… and making a fool of herself.

  I stalked slowly over to her, people in my path moving aside as they felt the storm brewing around me. She had her eyes closed, her hysterical laughter filling the air around me as he arms lay out either side of her.

  Her friend quirked one eye open and then squinted at me. “Oh dear,” she whispered.

  Ava moaned and opened her eyes slowly. She gaped at me then her lips twitched and she was giggling deliciously, the sweet tone to her warming my belly. However, she needed to learn that she couldn’t just walk out on me and disappear.

  “Hey, baby.” She slurred as her arms came up to reach for me. “Your little warrior is a little blotto.”

  I sucked in a breath and bit down on the inside of my cheek. Was she for real? Did she not think I’d kind of sussed that out? “Get up, Ava.”

  Her laughter erupted again. Obviously I was hilarious. Not for long.

  “Sammy!” Ava screeched when she spotted Sam behind me. “Did you bring Mr Cross?”

  Mr Cross? Mr Cross? Jesus holy Christ. I was gonna be on the News at Ten for torturing a drunken woman in the middle of my own nightclub with her own damn shoes.

  “I said...” I tried to bite back my fury with her. Everyone was looking at her, at us to be precise. “Get up Ava.”

  I watched seriousness cover her face. “Yes, Sir!” she brought her hand up to her forehead in an effort to salute me. However, I managed to hide the smirk when she poked herself in the eye, her brow creasing as she grumbled. “I would be fucking useless in the army.”

  For once, I agreed with my woman!

  She grinned up at me, her perfect lips parting into a beautiful smile. She was stunning and I found myself wondering how the hell I had managed to make her mine. She was hurting right then, I knew she was. Her heartache was potent, even when she was trying to overshadow it with laughter, but I could see it in her stunning eyes, the dullness and grief dimming their usual brightness.

  “Are you gonna join me on the hard floor Mason?” Her lips formed a kiss and she waggled her little finger at me, a reminder of the mind blowing orgasm she had given me this morning.

  Fuck, my dick did not just throb.

  “You know you want to.” She finished with an exaggerated wink.

  I fought against the smile that was dying to surface. Fuck, she was adorable. I just wanted to pull her in and hold her forever, scoop her up in my arms and shield her from every shit thing in her life.

  “Will you get up!” I grated out as I frantically tried to stop her declaring any more about our morning fun.

  “Aren’t you gonna be my armour in knight and...” Her brow creased as she stared at me. “No, that’s not right. My shining knight…” she frowned again.

  Fuck me, my heart leapt at how much I loved her. I wanted to scream it at her, shout from the fucking roof that I loved my woman but she was still in so much bloody trouble.

  I loomed over her, keeping my gaze away from her face so I didn’t alert her to my humour at the situation and hoisted her over my shoulder in a single movement. She squealed in delight as my hands accidently landed on her perfect arse.

  �
�Woohoo!” she cried when I carried her across the dance floor. “My hero!”

  She shouted something to Sam as I ploughed through the storm of people staring at us. Fuck them; it was my club and my woman.

  I jolted when Ava slapped my arse. Shit, that fucking came keen, she had quite a harsh slap and I sank my teeth into my lower lip. “Did you see that, baby? Kim ejaculate… no it’s not that, she uhh, what did she do Mason?”

  I rolled my eyes and blew out a steadying breath as I looked around us. There were still witnesses.

  “Spunked?... no that’s not it either… spanked! That’s it, she spanked all over Sam’s shoes... no…”

  Give. Me. Fucking. Strength!

  “Mason,” she grumbled. “What’s the word I need?”

  Death?

  I flung open the car door and bent forward, sliding her onto the back seat gently, making sure to cover her head so she didn’t whack it on the roof…. Although… my God, so tempting, that would quieten her down. I turned my back on her, cursing my wicked side as the enticing idea seemed a little too alluring right then.

  “Aww, baby, you’re so gentle with me.”

  It was a good job my back was turned. She therefore did not witness the humorous smirk covering my face. I was so lucky she couldn’t read my thoughts.

  “Mason,” she whispered as she tugged on the back of my jeans. “Mason.”

  I turned to her, glowering as she grinned at me. I was having so much trouble keeping mad at her, she was utterly the most loveable drunk I had ever known, and I was seriously having trouble resisting scooping her in my arms and smothering her in tiny little kisses.

  I leant towards her when she crooked a finger at me. “I fucking…. Wait,” she frowned with a twist in her lips as she tried to concentrate, her cute little tongue poking out of her mouth. “What was I gonna say?”

  So tempting. I was considering visiting the sex shop I knew was around the corner just to buy a bloody gag… and maybe a whip.

  “Mason,” she persisted. I closed my eyes for a second and pulled in a fortifying breath. “Psst, Mason.”

  “What Ava?” I sighed as I spun back round to her, pumping my fists to try and rid some of the excess adrenaline running through my system. She once again crooked her finger and I once again bent towards her.

  “Mason, come here.”

  I really thought I was here, but apparently not here enough for my annoyin… sorry, adorable woman.

  “I… love… you…” She grinned happily, very proud of herself. “Yay, you see I rembermember…. ooh I can’t say that word. That’s a hard word Mason, can you say reremememb… oh fuck it!”

  My lips betrayed me again but this time I didn’t hold it in as I slipped my palm over her cheek softly. “I love you too, Ava. Even though I am so pissed at you right now.” Her eyes widened to large orbs as she pleaded forgiveness humorously, reminding me of the cocker spaniel we’d had when I was a child.

  Oh Christ, she so knew how to play the game.

  “Aww baby, you can’t be mad at me, I’m really, really, really wanting your cock tonight.”

  Ahh Christ. All the humour evaporated and my heart ached for her. She’d just lost a baby, yet her mind was building walls and blocking it out. I couldn’t blame her really. I’d give anything to change the last week, give her back what she desperately wanted.

  “Don’t be sad, it’s good that I want your cock. It’s a very nice cock I might add.” She grinned.

  Of course it was. I was glad she’d noticed, I was rather proud of it myself.

  “I know what you’re smiling about,” Ava laughed as she poked me in the ribs, pulling me from the memory.

  I smirked at her, “And that is?”

  “You’re face shows your pride, so you have to be thinking about your cock.”

  I stared at her. Was I that fucking obvious?

  She nodded, “Yes, it’s that fucking obvious.”

  “Christ, we’re turning into one of those old married couples, those that can finish each other’s sentences and knows what the other is thinking.”

  She laughed loudly, her eyes twinkling happily, “Nah, it’s my soul telling me what your soul is thinking.”

  I gazed at her for a long time as her soft eyes loved me but then sorrow engulfed her and her eyes dipped. “What is it?” I asked as I ran my thumb softly over her short silky hair.

  She seemed troubled as she took my hand and gripped it firmly. “I know, Mason.”

  “You know? You know what, baby?”

  “About the children,” she sighed. “Why did you never tell me, Mason?”

  I frowned at her; completely lost which course her mind had swerved her towards this time. She was sometimes difficult to keep up with, her brain kicking her in many different directions as swiftly as it changed course again, leaving me behind many times.

  “Ava, I haven’t the foggiest what you’re on about.”

  She tightened her grip on my hand and pulled it to her mouth, kissing each finger gently. “It takes more than blood to be a father, and you have proved it for many years. You took on another man’s children and loved them as your own.”

  I stared at her as my heart seemed to fire electrical shots around my veins, each one causing a ripple effect through my muscles as each one seized up one after another until I was frozen to the spot and staring at her. “Are you saying…?” I swallowed at the lump that had formed in my throat, “Umm… are you telling me that the twins are… Kade’s?”

  She stared at me silently as I started to break down slowly from the inside. “WELL?”

  She flinched but her brow furrowed. I was struggling to hold everything back. Twenty years. Had it all been a lie?

  Ava

  Okay, now I was confused. Rebecca had been certain. I knew we weren’t friends but I was damn sure she hadn’t been winding me up, the horror on her face when she had disclosed the secret had been very real.

  “Umm.” I sighed and scowled at him, “Change the fucking face, mister. I’m as confused as you.”

  His eyes popped wide at my audacity, his mouth falling open as his forehead creased and his lip curled in confusion. “Baby,” he stated quite sternly. “Forgive me, but you have just insinuated that Katie and George aren’t mine. Would you like to tell me how I’m supposed to look right now?”

  “Well, looking like a bloody cod hoisted from the North Sea just as the holiday season hits isn’t the right look, right now.”

  I beamed at him when he growled and slipped onto my knees, cupping his face and planting a huge smacker on his lips. “I love your reaction to what I just insinuated, it tells me you haven’t a bloody clue what I’m on about.”

  “Oh you got that, huh?”

  “Chill out and let me explain, although it still doesn’t make sense.”

  “Really?”

  I sneered at him then sighed. “Why did you tell Rebecca you couldn’t have kids?”

  He frowned at me then recognition covered his face and he sighed in relief. “Ahh…” His face flushed and he looked sheepish, “Because when Rebecca got pregnant, I couldn’t have children and I was infertile.”

  “Oh, okay.” Could you go from being infertile to fertile? Fucked if I knew but apparently it was so.

  He sighed and rolled his lips, the memory of a time with him and Rebecca obviously hurting him. “I presume Bec told you about…us?”

  I nodded and smiled, giving him courage and my okay to how he was feeling. “Well, we’d been together… a while and you know me, Ava, I bloody hate condoms, when we first got together I never bloody used them.”

  “Mm-hmm, even though you used to swear to me that you did!” He grimaced when I quirked a brow at him.

  “I know, I know, I shouldn’t have lied but it seemed important to you, that you were the only one that I didn’t use them with.”

  “Well…”

  “Ava, I’m a bloke, I say things that I know will get me laid.”

  My mouth fell open and h
e laughed nervously. “Go on, before I hurt you” I urged.

  He nodded quickly, “Well, she never got pregnant and we were together a long time. It didn’t seem right so I had an idea already.”

  “So you got checked out?”

  He nodded and shivered, “Worst moment of my life, wanking in a cup whilst the cheesiest fucking porno played out on an old black and white TV.” He turned to me with a furious frown, “Have you ever watched a black and white porn film?”

  I shook my head slowly as I contemplated that question. Never mind!

  “Well let me tell you, it is not fun or even bloody real. Took me ages to come and when I did it was this little fucking blob that hit the bottom of the cup with a chilling slap.” He turned to me with pain in his eyes, “I’m sure it damaged me Ava. That moment has haunted my nightmares. Especially the nurses face when she peered into the bottom of the cup and squinted… she fucking squinted.”

  I nodded slowly, really unsure of what to say. “Why are you nodding?” he asked with a look of shock. I shook my head slowly which seemed to pacify him.

  “Anyway,” he continued, unaware of my astonishment. “The results came back and they said my sperm was hunky-dory, proper little toughies.” He smiled proudly and I wanted to post a status on Facebook telling everyone that my husband had tough little swimmers. He was so proud and I couldn’t have been happier. “However they were still concerned so they called me back in.”

  His face dropped and he shuddered deeply. He leaned towards me, his eyes searching the room for spies as he brought his lips to my ear. “I had a blockage, Ava.”

  “A blockage?” I whispered back.

  He nodded firmly as his eyes widened. “They had to…” he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “They had to operate.”